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I Believe in a Thing Called Love — The Darkness1 / 2
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I Believe in a Thing Called Love Guitar Tone Settings

The Darkness · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Custom (1968, 'The Darkness' model)
Pickups
Humbuckers (likely Gibson PAF-style, stock on 1968 Les Paul Custom)
Amp
Marshall Superlead 1959SLP (Plexi) into Marshall 1960AX/BX 4x12 cabinets
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2002-2003 for 'Permission to Land'. Multiple sources confirm Justin Hawkins used a 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom into a Marshall Superlead 1959SLP with no pedals for the main riff. No evidence of pedals or effects for the riff section; amp was cranked for natural overdrive.

Amp Settings

Mids
7.5
Bass
6
Gain
7.5
Reverb
2.5
Treble
7.5
Presence
6.5

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Tone Character

  • tight and punchy
  • aggressive British crunch
  • mid-forward presence
  • saturated but clear
  • percussive attack
  • bright but not harsh
  • full-bodied
  • articulate riff definition
  • high-output humbucker bite
  • classic hard rock rhythm

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No official published amp knob settings for the studio recording; settings estimated based on typical Marshall Plexi usage for classic rock and forum user suggestions.
  • ⚠️No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; multiple sources and interviews state 'no pedals' for rhythm parts.
  • ⚠️Some forum posts suggest extreme EQ settings (e.g., bass 0, treble 10), but these are likely for the intro or for live emulation, not the main riff studio tone.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from typical Les Paul/Marshall rock rhythm tone and audio analysis.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Darkness's riff tone is a classic British high-gain sound—likely a cranked Marshall with plenty of mids and treble for cut, moderate bass for punch, and a touch of reverb for space. The gain is high but not modern-metal extreme, matching the glam/hard rock vibe and the band's known amp choices.

Sources